In report covering 3 days, Arizona adds 5,660 COVID-19 cases, 174 deaths

PHOENIX – In a report covering three days’ worth of data, Arizona health officials on Tuesday added 5,660 cases and 174 deaths to the state’s COVID-19 totals.

The new batch, which averaged out to 1,887 cases and 58 deaths per day, included reporting delayed from Sunday and Monday because of a scheduled system update.

Today’s #COVID19 dashboard update adds 5,660 cases and 174 deaths. REMINDER: Today’s additions are three days’ worth of reporting. Cases, deaths, hospitalizations, and tests were not added Sunday or Monday because of a system update. https://t.co/RRKE37lCiA

— AZ Dept of Health (@AZDHS) October 19, 2021

The state averaged 2,223 cases and 21 deaths over the seven days prior to the delay.

The latest documented totals are 1,137,636 infections and 20,674 fatalities, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services COVID-19 dashboard.

The number of confirmed or suspected COVID-19 inpatients in the state’s hospitals as of Monday was 1,703, up 32 from the previous day but still 400 below the high mark of the July-September surge.

The number of ICU beds used by COVID-19 patients was 467, down seven from the previous day and more than 100 below the latest wave’s peak.

The dashboard also showed that 4,194,639 people (58.3% of the state’s population, based on 7,189,020 residents) have received at least one dose of vaccine in Arizona and 3,674,260 people are fully vaccinated (51.1% of the population). The nationwide rates are 66% with at least one dose and 57% fully vaccinated, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In August, unvaccinated people nationwide were 6.1 times more likely to get infected and 11.3 times more likely to die than people who were fully vaccinated, according to the CDC.

The state health department’s daily updates present case and death data after the state receives statistics and confirms them, which can lag by several days or more. They don’t represent the actual activity over the past 24 hours. The hospitalization numbers posted each morning are reported electronically the previous evening by hospitals across the state.

Free federally authorized vaccines are widely available. The minimum age to receive the Pfizer shot is 12, and it’s 18 for the other available versions, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson.

For details about statewide vaccine availability, the ADHS website has a vaccine-finder page with locations and other information.

For information about metro Phoenix vaccine availability, Maricopa County Public Health has a locator page that lists pharmacies, government-run sites, health clinics and pop-up distribution events. Appointments may be required depending on the provider.

COVID-19, the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, has no impact on some people and is seriously debilitating or fatal for others. Infected people without symptoms — which include but are not limited to cough, fever and difficulty breathing — are capable of spreading the virus.

Information about where to get tested for COVID-19 can be found on the ADHS website.

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